The present invention relates to sprinklers, and particularly to water irrigation sprinklers.
Many different types of sprinklers are presently used for water irrigation. Thus, there is the impact or hammer type sprinkler which produces a long-range jet rotating (or oscillating) at a relatively low velocity, e.g. in the order of up to 10 RPM, the rotary movement (continuous rotation or oscillation) being effected by impact forces. A second type, commonly called a whirling sprinkler, produces a shorter-range jet rotating, usually by reaction forces, much faster, in the order of several hundred RPM's. A third type, sometimes called a mini-sprinkler or sprayer, is a static device which produces no rotating jet but rather a spray of fine water droplets immediately around the sprinkler; an example of the latter is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,958,760.
The known sprinklers frequently suffer from a number of drawbacks, including non-uniformity in the distribution of the water around the sprinkler, high-sensitivity to clogging by solid particles in the irrigation water, and/or high tolerance requirements in the manufacturing of the parts. These drawbacks may not only affect the efficiency of the sprinklers, but may also increase their initial and maintenance costs and shorten their useful lives.
An object of the present invention is to provide a sprinkler having advantages in the above respects, as will be more particularly pointed out below.